Miss Universe New Zealand 2012 was Dethroned!

The South-African born beauty queen, Avianca Bohm (middle) who was crowned Miss Universe New Zealand 2012 last June 3 in Wellington made international headlines for the issue regarding her nationality, has finally been stripped of her title. She was being replaced as Miss Universe New Zealand by the 1st run-up Talia Bennett (left) who humbly says it is “sad and unfortunate” how the crown came to be stripped from her.

Organizers have announced that the 23 year old Bennett as the new winner after Bohm revealed in an email from South Africa that she had lost her bid for citizenship.

The pageant's spokeswoman Zeisha Fremaux state the brief email from Avianca had come one day before the August 1 deadline given for her to fast-track her citizenship by so that she could retain the title.

The issue became more interesting when Bohm gave an interview to a South African newspaper slamming Miss Universe New Zealand organiser Val Lott for distorting facts to “save her own ass” and “suck” and claimed the Miss Universe New Zealand title was rightfully deserving on hers.

In a press release, Bennett said being finally crowned the winner was “A wonderful honor. It has been sad and unfortunate how events have unfolded and I am truly humbled in accepting my selection,” she said.

She said she was “mindful of the very high standards” and she accepted “the challenge and responsibility … to justify this significant honor”.

Avianca's agent Amanda Bransgrove said her client, who is in South Africa, would be bitterly disappointed by the news. She was critical of the way event organizers had handled the situation.